Health boss warns Covid will be around 'for rest of our lives'

It comes as the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group is rolling out walk-in vaccinations sites.

No pre-booked appointments are required in order to use the pop-up service and both first and second doses are being offered.

The scheme is part of a fresh drive to encourage more people of all ages and ethnicities to get the coronavirus vaccine.

It is also designed to make the process more accessible and flexible for those who lead busier and more hectic lives.

Lisa Nobes, director of nursing and clinical quality for the North East Essex CCG, said: “I was vaccinating at a walk-in and we had a number of people who just happened to be out shopping who had not got around to booking an appointment.

“We did capture a number of people who lead crazy lives and fitting in a vaccine appointment is just another thing to think about.

"So being able to just walk in makes life a lot easier and so we want people to take that opportunistic chance.”

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According to the latest figures, 207,729 people living in Colchester and 191,126 in Tendring have now received either a first or second dose of the vaccine.

Despite the positive and ever-increasing figures, Lisa is hoping the new walk-in sites will encourage more young people - who may feel they are not as much at risk - to get jabbed.

She added: “They are less likely to, but young people can get sick from Covid-19 and we have seen young people die because the risk of getting sick is not just related to your age.

“It can also be to do with your gender and ethnic background, So we do not want people to make a decision just based on their age because it is not just an illness which impacts the elderly.

“Also, they may have a mild version of it now, but they can still go on to develop long Covid which is a really debilitating illness and can really interrupt your life more than a vaccine appointment.

“Coronavirus is going to be around for the rest of our lives.

“But people have to make the decision to either get immunity through the vaccine or by playing the dangerous game of Russian roulette and getting immunity by getting the virus itself.”